Support



my i9 m4@ P. M. HASSLER ZVZLS@ v SUPPORT Filed March 16, 1938 Patented July 16, 1940 zacinto PATENT OFFICE SUPPORT Paul M. Hassler, Batavia,

Ill., assignor to Richards-Wilcox Manufacturing Company, Aurora, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 16, 1938, Serial No. 196,141

4 Claims.

This invention relates to supports for electric conductors employed to supply current to electric hoists operating on trolley tracks and other installations where it is desired to supply current i to a moving device.

One of the principal features of this invention `resides in the provision of a conductor support which includes a threaded member that embraces opposite sides of the conductor and receives an 11) insulator having a threaded socket, the parts being so constructed and arranged that when the insulator is screwed down on the threaded portion of said conductor embracing member, the socket of the insulator embraces side portions of .'15 said member and forces them laterally inwardly against the conductor so as to hold the same rigidly against movement.

A further feature of this invention resides in the provision of a conductor engaging member 2O that has hinged or resiliently connected conductorengaging sections arranged for relative movement and clamped against the track by a camming or wedging action which is exerted against the sections by the insulator.

n These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art'after a consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

.30 In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a generally vertical section taken through a conductor supporting structure -em- 'bodying the principles of this invention;

Figure 2 is a side View, on a reduced scale, of

,35 the construction shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a modied form of the present invention in which one of the conductor engaging sections is hinged to the other; and

Figure 4 illustrates a construction in which 'both of the conductor engaging sections are hinged to the threaded member which is received and supported by the insulator in such relation that the latter clamps both of the conductor engaging sections against the conductor.

n Referring now more particularly to Figure l, the reference numeral I indicates an electrical conductor in the form of a rail of what is termed figure-8 ccnguration, having a supporting section 2 and a contact section 3. Conductor rails 50 of this kind are well known in the art and are used for conducting current to the current collectors or contacts of movable devices, such 4as electric hoists operating on trolley tracks, and the like. The trolley rail or conductor I is usually .55 carried by insulators 5 fastened to suitable sup- (Cl. LS1-42) porting members, one of which is shown at 6 in the form of a structural angle, and each insulator 5 has a head 8 formed of dielectric material and having a horizontal groove 9 tc receive the yoke of a U-bolt II the threaded ends ,-5 of which pass through suitable openings in the vertical flange of the angle bar G and receive nuts I2 by which the insulator is clamped firmly to its support.

According to the principles of this invention, 1 0 the insulator is provided with an interior sleeve or socket I5, which is embedded in the insulator head when the latter is molded or otherwise formed. The neck portion IG of the sleeve is threaded, as at I1, and below the neck portion v1.5 the sleeve has a skirt portion I 3 which tapers outwardly and downwardly to the lower part of the insulator.

A conductor clamping and supporting member 22 has a threaded stem 23 that screws into the 29 portion I 1 of the socket. The lower end of the member 22 is slotted, as at 25, so as to form two oppositely disposed sections 21 and 2S which at their lower ends have recesses 25 formed to engage opposite sides of the supporting section 2 .25 of the conductor rail I. By virtue of the slotted construction the sections 21 and 2t are resilient at the point of juncture where they join the threaded stem 23. The outer portions of the sections 21 and 28 are extended to form outwardly ,3Q angled camming edges or surfaces so that when A the insulator is screwed down tight on the me. ber 22 the skirt section of the socket I 6 engages the sections 21 and 28 and forces them inwardly With a wedging or clamping action against the ,35 rail I, thus clamping the latter at two places. The engagement of the recesses 2e about the rail head 2 holds the rail up in position and the clamping action of the sections prevents the rail 'from slipping endwise. It will also be noted 4,0 that the sections 21 and 28 engage the rail I on opposite sides of the web 4 so that there is no likelihood of the rail being twisted laterally in the insulator. It will also be noted that there is no clamping action against the upper edge of the rail that mars or deforms the same, as might occur where set screws and the like are used.

Figure 3 shows a modied form of the present invention in which the conductor clamping member is of hinged construction instead of being resilient. Usually it is preferable to apply the member 22 of Figure 1 by slipping the same over the rail from one end, but if a hinged mem- 10er, such as is indicated at 22a in Figure 3, `5v5,

`adapted to seat in the recess 4I, and the part 45 is formed with a conductor receiving recess 41 which is directly opposite the recess 39 when the part l5 is in position. By virtue of the rounded portions il and B6 Yat the point of juncture between the jaw parts 35, 45- andthe threaded shank 35, the part l5 can pivot or hinge with respect to the other part 35. The two parts or sections 35 and 45 of the member 22a are shaped so that they are engaged andrforced with a camming or wedging action inwardly toward one another by the skirt portion I8 of sleeve l5 when the insulator is screwedl down tight.

Figure 4 illustrates another modified form in which the principles of the present invention are embodied and differs from theform shown in Figure 3 in that the latter has only one'conductor engaging section hinged, the other being formed integrally butwith a certain amount of resilience adjacent the recess H with the threaded shank, whereas in Figure 4, both of the conductor engaging sectionsare hinged to the threaded section. v

Referringnow to Figure 4, the reference numeral 22h indicates the conductor supporting member in itsk entirety which is adapted to be supported by an insulator and armor bar 5 in the manner described above. The conductor supporting member 122h comprises a threaded stem 5i carrying head 52 at. its lower end in which oppositely disposed recesses 5 3 and 54 are formed. A pair of conductor engaging sections 55 and 55, which may be identical, are provided, and each is formed with a recess 51 vto receive the rail head 2, and at the opposite end of each of the members 55 and 55 a rounded or nose portion 58 is formed. These nose sections are adapted to be disposed in the recesses 53 and 513,

thereby forming a pivotal point of juncture be,-

tween the jaw sections 55, 55 and the threaded shank 5i, so that when the insulator 5 is screwed down on the threaded stem 5|, the sections 55 and 56 pivot in the recesses 53 and 54 and are cammed or wedged toward one another so as to clamp the conductor l firmly therebetween.A

It is to be understood that while I have shown and described above the preferred means in which the principles of the present invention have been embodied, my invention isnot to be limited to the specific details shown and described above, but that, in fact, widely diiierent means may be employed in carrying out the broader aspects of' my invention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A conductor support comprising a member having a threaded shank at one end and a conductor receiving section at the other end with av recess between said shank and said section, a

companion section adapted toreceive one'side of a conductor and having a projection 4adapted to be seated in said recess so ,that one section can move with respect to the other to provide for the insertion of a conductor therebetween,

and an insulator having a socket adapted to be screwed onto said threaded shank and a portion embracing said sections, said portion and said sections being formed so that the latter are forced laterally inwardly to clamp a conductor therebetween when said insulator is screwed onto said threaded shank.

2. In a support for a conductor rail of figure-8 cross section having cylindrical upper yand lower portions and a substantially flat intermediate web portion, the combination of gripping means for gripping said conductor rail comprising a threaded shank and two jaw sections, the lower portions of said jaw sections having opposing faces for engaging the sides of said fiat intermediate web portion of the rail, said opposing faces having recesses therein for engaging over the cylindrical upper portion of the rail, the upper portions of said jaw sections having a juncture with each other and with said threaded shank such that one of said jaw sections can move laterally toward and from the other jaw section, said jawf sections having outer cam surfacesjeXftending on a very gradual taper outwardly and downwardly from the point of'jun'ctu'rc of said jaw sections with each other-and with said threaded shank, a metallic sleeve extending down over said rail gripping means, said -sleeve hav'- ing a threaded socket in its upper end for screwing down over said threaded shank, said sleeve comprising a long gradually tapered skirt porftion for engaging the cam surfaces of said jaw sections, said skirt portion engaging said `earn surfaces at points considerably below the point of juncture of Said jaw sections with eachother and with said threaded shank, whereby a major component of the force exerted downwardly by said skirt portion against saidv cam surfaces is effective horizontally as a gripping force-'acting against the sides of the conductor rail, a unitary hood of insulation enshrouding the top and sides of said metallic sleeve, said metallic sleevelcomprising surfaces `which are embedded in saidinsulating hood and which prevent relative rotaftion and axial separation betweenl said sleeve and said hood, said hood having an annular groove therein, and a U-shaped supporting clamp engaging in said groovefor-securing the `device to a fixed point of support.

3. In a support for a conductor, the combina# tion of gripping means for gripping said conductor comprising a threaded shank and two jaw sections, the lower portions of said jawv sections having opposing faces for engaging the sides'of ythe conductor, the upper portions of said jaw sections having a juncture with each other and with said threaded shank such lthat one ofsaid jaw sections can move laterally toward Aand from the other jaw section, said jaw sections having outer cam surfaces extending on a very gradual taper outwardly and downwardly from the point of juncture of said jaw sections with each other and with said threaded shank, a metallicsleev'e extending down over said conductor gripping means, said sleeve having a threaded socketA in its upper end for screwing down over y'said 65 threaded shank, said sleeve comprising a, long gradually tapered skirt portion for` engaging the cam surfaces of said jaw sections, said skirtporftion engaging said earn surfaces'atr points corrsiderably below the point of juncture of said'jaw sections with each other and with said threaded shank, whereby a large componentof the force exerted downwardly by said skirt portion against said cam surfaces is effective horizontally ais-a gripping force acting againstV the sides ofthe conductor, a unitary hood of inSuation enshrouding the top and sides of said metallic sleeve, said metallic sleeve comprising surfaces which are embedded in said insulating hood and which prevent relative rotation and axial separation bei tween said sleeve and said hood, and means for attaching said insulating hood to a xed portion of support. n

4. In a conductor support, the combination of gripping means comprising a threaded shank and two conductor receiving sections, said conductor receiving sections adapted to receive opposite sides of a conductor, said threaded shank having a recess formed therein, one of said conductor receiving sections having a projection adapted to be seated in said recess so that said latter conductor receiving section can move with respect to the other conductor receiving section to provide for the insertion of a conductor therebetween, and an insulator having a socket adapted to be screwed onto said threaded shank and a. portion embracing said conductor receiving sections, said portion and said sections being formed so that the latter are forced laterally inwardly to clamp a conductor therebetween when said insulator is screwed onto said threaded shank.

y PAUL M. HASSLER. 

